Not to Forget
by Princess Serene
Summary: The end has come as all battles do, but this ending is the most surprising of them yet, when the priestess from another land gives her life for her country, her friends, her mate, and even her child.


_**Not to Forget**_

**Poem by:**

Christina Rossetti _"Remember"_

**Story by:**

Princess Serene

_**Remember me when I am gone away,**_

"NO!" his scream echoed throughout the bloodied battle field.

His sudden outcry grabbed the attention of the other fighters on the field. Looking over, they saw what was the cause and their eyes widened in disbelief.

_**Gone far into the silent land;**_

The final battle had taken all by surprise, when it arrived in the midst of a period of unusual peace. No one could have guessed it would come to an end this way. Especially for him. At the end, he may have won the war but lost one of the most important battles. The battle to protect the keeper of his heart. Slowly he fell to his knees on the blood covered ground in the midst of all the corpses of demons and humans alike. Tears came to his golden eyes and fell down his softened face.

_**When you can no longer hold me by the hand,**_

She had done that. She had softened him. She had taken him for what he was and had never once complained or stood in fear of him. She had loved him regardless of the protests and though he was just realizing he truly loved her. He had fallen in love with her, however, he had never really known just how much he truly loved her until now. Until now he had never realized truly how much it hurt to lose someone.

_**Nor I half turn to go, yet turning to stay.**_

She, the one he cared for so much, looked to him now, knowing she was in her last fleeting moments. Summoning the last of her energy she grabbed the wrist of the hand still holding the sword that was thrust into her abdomen.

_**Remember me when no more day by day**_

"Don't, God, please don't!" he whispered pleadingly.

She smiled at him, thinking of all the happiness they shared in their brief relationship. They had been together for only two short years, but the experiences they had been through together could have filled more years.

_**You tell me of our future that you plann'd.**_

"NO! Don't do it!" he screamed running to her.

A pink light surrounded her. She knew what she was going to do. She know that it must be done. She was going to purify the Shikon Jewel and Naraku with one final blow. This was it. This was the end. Tears fell down her cheeks and she shook her head.

_**Only remember me; you understand**_

He stopped sudden ly as the light engulfed the area ten feet all around her. It was too late there was no turning back now. She smiled at him one last time while the man attached to the wrist she held began to panic.

"I love you," she said.

The half demon, Naraku, screamed a painful blood curdling scream as his body was purified. She looked to him one final time before her body too, disintegrated with Naraku. Her light glowed bright white temporarily blinding the people around it. When it cleared all that was left was a small glowing ball. The Shikon Jewel was pure once more. The young priestess had completed her job.

_**It will be to late to counsel then or pray.**_

His brother came to him sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her human friends came as well, the disbelief was still evident on their faces. Last to approach was the priestesses young surrogate son.

"No, Kagome. What happened to Kagome?" he asked softly even though he knew the answer.

His mother was gone. Their friend was gone. Hissoulmate was gone.

They held a funeral in both era's for the young priestess. Her mate took the jewel and had it locked away. Now he walked quietly through the forest near the home they had once shared. He stopped for a moment when he heard a rustling of the bushes behind him.

_**Yet if you should forget me for a while,**_

A small child ran out of the bushes, but stopped short when she saw him there. She resembled her mother in almost every way except she had silver hair and golden eyes like her father's. Her once bright eyes were filled with tears and full of sadness.

"Daddy," she breathed.

She ran to him and he knelt down pulling her into a comforting hug. She sobbed on his shoulder and he fought the urge to cry along with her. She was all his love had really left him, but she would get through this and move on from the heartache.

_**And afterwards remember, do not grieve;**_

His love was a young woman, still in her teens, but spending a year in his era had made her wiser than if she had been older than him. She gave birth to their child at only the sweet age of sixteen, almost a year after they met. Now their daughter was only four but understood and grasped concepts with ease. For her age she was very refined and proper.

"I want my mommy! Why did she have to leave us?" she cried into his shoulder. "I don't understand, daddy! Wasn't there any other way!"

"Shhh, Serena. Your mother did what she thought was best to protect us," he soothed.

"No!" she wailed.

Eventually she cried herself to sleep on his shoulder so he carried her inside and laid her on her bed and covered her up.

_**For if the darkness and corruption leave.**_

Silently he crept back out onto the porch and sat on its edge. The moon was at its waning crescent stage, but still gave off enough light that he could see everything outside even without his demon senses.

The wind shifted bringing a familiar scent to his nose. The smell of jasmine and lavender. Her scent. His eyes were closed enjoying that comforting smell.

"Lovely night isn't it?" the voice of his mate asked.

He jumped and looked beside him where she was sitting watching the stars like she had done so many nights before.

"Kagome," he breathed, "is it really you?"

"Silly puppy, yes it's me. What other spirits would be seeing you this late at night?" she laughed now looking at him.

_**A vestige of thoughts that once I had,**_

She snuggled close to him and pulled him down gently so that his head rested in her lap. Lovingly she stroked his long silver hair.

"I can't stay long, koi," she said sadly.

"I know," he whispered; "just a little while longer."

"You'll forget about me one day," she said lovingly, continuing to run her fingers through his hair.

"Never," he sighed, keeping his eyes locked with hers, afraid to look away lest she move on.

She laughed at his usual stubborness, "You'll smile and laugh one day too with some one new." Though he had vowed not to cry again, tears filled his eyes as she continued. "Forget me and do not dwell on the past." He opened his mouth to speak but she silenced him by placing a finger over his lips.

_**Better by far you should forget and smile**_

"I can't stay much longer so don't argue, just listen," she moved her hand and placed it over his heart "You alway thought of things you regreted, don't let my death be one of them. Move on, smile like you... like you smiled at me. Be strong always not just for our daughter but for yourself too. Learn to love another again. Be happy, for crying out loud! Do all these things, koi, and I promise I'll see you again," she said looking him deep in the eyes.

"I love you Kagome," he said tears coming to his eyes.

"I love you too."

He sat up quickly and she wrapped her arms around his neck, then kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist never wanting to let go. Finally she pulled away and her body began to fade.

"I'll love you forever, Sesshomaru," she said as her body disappeared completely.

_**Then that you should remember and be sad.**_

"That is the tale of how the most powerful priestess the world has ever known died. She sacrificed herself for everything she loved," the old woman finshed.

"Grandmother, did the priestess ever come back like she promised?" the small child asked snuggled under the covers.

"You know, Nikki, I don't know. Some say she did and there are some that say she didn't, but all say that the youkai lord of the west lands did find a new mate. But let's save that for another story."

"Yes grandmother," the child said sleeply.

Within a few moments the child was asleep and the old woman tip-toed out of the room as best she could. She then walked into the house's large living room and over to a large painting on the far wall above the elegant fireplace. Gingerly she reached a withered hand up to touch the delicate yet skillful painting.

The painting was don't beautifully by one the most excellent of artists. A young woman with silver white hair knelt beside two other people. She had strong blue eyes and a maroon cresent moon in the center of her forehead which she earned when she was thirteen and became heir to father's lands. Beside her was a man with the same mark on his forehead and silver white hair. His face was stoic and his golden eyes were very intimidating. He had a hand resting on the woman's shoulder but his other hand was around the waist of a beautiful teenage woman. At just a glance you would think her hair was white but was actually a very light pink that fell straight to her hips. Her sea green eyes danced with happiness and upon her forehead was a golden four pointed star. In her arms was a small baby wrapped in a light blue blanket with the star of his mother in the middle of the moon of his father on his forehead. Kneeling beside the young woman with blue eyes was the old lady in her early twenties.

"I think you did come back to us Kagome and for that I am glad," Rin said quietly.

She moved her hand over her heart and slowly closed her eyes after studying the painting for the last time in all of her ninety-two years.


End file.
